


New Harmony

by velos_mush



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Canon Compliant, Family, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Other, chosen family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28715091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velos_mush/pseuds/velos_mush
Summary: Expanding on Star Trek Discovery 3x13. Major spoilers. (Duh)Hugh & Adira are back from the nebula, being treated in Discovery's Medbay.(I decided to ignore the scene in which Hugh and Adira are on the bridge, because tbh it makes no sense.)
Relationships: Adira Tal & Hugh Culber & Paul Stamets, Adira Tal/Gray Tal, Hugh Culber & Adira Tal, Hugh Culber & Tracy Pollard, Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets, Paul Stamets & Adira Tal
Comments: 27
Kudos: 97





	New Harmony

The Medbay’s bright lights bounce from the white surfaces, and there’s a hum in Hugh’s head that just won’t stop.

A familiar voice calls out his name as multiple figures hover over him. He feels like his whole body is burning. Did it feel as bad back on the planet, or did it get worse? He feels pressure on the side of his neck, and his vision sharpens for a few seconds.

“Hugh,” Tracy repeats. “You’re fine. I’m administering--”

“Adira?” Hugh hears his own voice, lower and raspier than he’d expected.

“They’re all right. You were exposed to the radiation longer.”

“I’m here,” Adira’s voice sounds from somewhere. Hugh can’t really pinpoint the direction, but a wave of relief washes over him. He’s just about to slip into unconsciousness, when an alarm blares.

_Black alert._

Hugh instinctively pushes up from the biobed, only to fail miserably. Tracy’s hands push on his chest.

“Hey, hey, hey,” she tries to soothe him. “Paul’s not here yet.”

What? ‘Yet’? But he’s alive? Wait, how are they jumping?

Tracy’s hands are working on something, but her eyes meet Hugh’s for just a second. She seems to know exactly what’s going on in Hugh’s mind.

“Book’s jumping. Paul’s fine.” She tries to keep her sentences short, or maybe it’s a byproduct of having to simultaneously work and explain the situation. Hugh’s sure there’s a lot she leaves out, too. “Michael got him off the ship, to the headquarters. He’ll be here soon.”

In truth, Tracy has no idea where exactly Paul is right now, but that’s not something she wants to tell Hugh.

“I’ll tell you as soon as I hear from him.” Tracy’s voice is calm, but Hugh has learnt to recognize subtle changes in her tone. If she hasn’t heard from him, does that mean Paul also hasn’t heard from Discovery? Does he know they’re out of the nebula? Alive?

“Trace,” Hugh says in a demanding tone, laying a hand on Tracy’s arm. “Does Paul know we’re here?”

There’s a slight pause. “Yes.”

“Tracy.”

“I don’t know,” she looks at him with an apologetic expression.

The meds are doing their job, and although he tries to fight it, Hugh drifts out of consciousness.

When he wakes up again, a nurse hovers over him, and on the other side of the bed, someone’s holding his hand. He looks up to find Adira looking at him, a worried expression on their face. They let out a shaky exhale as he opens his eyes.

“Hey,” Hugh manages to speak. “You okay?”

“Yes. Yeah. I’m good.”

The nurse is replaced by Tracy, who smiles at Hugh gently. “You’re going to the cellular regeneration chamber now.”

* * *

After two cycles in the chamber, Hugh insists on getting up himself. Tracy lets him, but hovers right next to him as they make their way back to the main medbay. Hugh notices Saru isn’t in the room. Must be in Medbay 2. He looks around the room, at the multiple displays, trying to gather information. They’re back at Starfleet Headquarters, and there’s a lot of traffic from and to the ship. He looks over to the monitor above the biobed Adira’s sitting on. With a quick glance, everything seems to be fine. Both them and Gray. Hugh knows the symbiont isn’t just Gray, but it’s much more tangible now how Adira’s been experiencing his presence. The “squid” on the monitor now has a face, a voice, a personality.

Hugh’s attention is pulled away as someone tells him to sit back on the bed. He complies and the someone starts scanning him. Tracy’s standing behind them, holding a PADD, probably monitoring the results in real time. Hugh wonders how long it’s been since they jumped back to headquarters. A couple hours, at least. 

Tracy gets the last set of data from Hugh’s scans running on the PADD and puts it down. 

“I need you back tomorrow,” she says. “We’ll have to monitor the long-term effects from the radiation. But for now, you’re good to go.”

He nods and turns to look over to Adira. They sit on the bed, fidgeting with their fingers. Apparently they’ve been cleared too. Hugh exhales deeply.

Tracy’s communicator beeps. Hugh’s eyes shoot up to her, and she returns the look. 

“It’s for you,” she smiles a happy smile.

* * *

It feels like forever as they wait for Paul in the Medbay. It’s simpler to stay there, where he knows they are. Hugh uses the time to get a full report on Adira’s health from Tracy, although he can read the numbers just as well himself. She shows him all the test results and assures Adira and the symbiont are in good health. Hugh places a hand on their shoulder and smiles at them. He’s so grateful they’re okay. Adira returns a timid smile with a hint of sadness in their eyes.

At the same moment, there’s a sound from outside Medbay Hugh immediately recognizes. Everyone in the room turns to face the rapidly approaching footsteps from the corridor. Hugh’s surroundings become meaningless. He automatically steps away from the biobed and towards the doorway. The doors fling open, and the love of his life stands right in front of him with a broken expression. 

Paul’s body basically collides with Hugh’s, wrapping him in a tight hold, burying his face against Hugh’s neck. Hugh needs to take a step back to balance both of them. His arms folded around Paul just as tight, one hand in his hair, they sway together.

Hugh feels Paul’s breath shudder against his skin. He lifts his head and looks Hugh in the eyes. His brows are steeply furrowed, but his mouth turns into a melancholy smile. Hugh opens his mouth to say something, but he’s not sure what. I’m sorry? Before he can come up with anything, Paul pulls him in for a devoted kiss. It feels like hours of conversation. They don’t need to know what to say.

Paul pulls back and slowly opens his eyes. His hand brushes over Hugh’s cheek and temple and lands on the back of his neck. 

Paul’s eyes focus somewhere behind Hugh, he takes a deep breath and steps past him. Hugh turns to look at Adira, who steps closer to Paul despite the expression on their face being somewhat terrified. Paul wraps them in a tight hug. Adira’s eyes close and they hug him back, leaning their head against his shoulder.

Hugh feels a smile rise on his face and tears forming in his eyes. He glances at Tracy, who’s looking at them with a similar expression. 

Paul’s hand remains on Adira’s shoulder as they break the hug and Paul turns to Hugh, placing his other hand behind his neck. He looks like he’s about to speak, but instead just pulls both of them into another tight hug. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Paul mumbles into the hug. He squeezes them one more time and then loosens his hold just enough to look at both of them. His hands are sturdily placed on the backs of their necks. His eyes close and he shakes his head.

“Thanks to a certain genius,” Hugh looks at Adira. “Adira saved us.”

Adira laughs. 

“I know,” Paul answers him, turning to look at Adira, full of pride. They smile at him briefly, but quickly their head turns to the door. Michael steps into medbay, smiling widely. Hugh looks at her, then immediately at Paul. He isn’t clear on all the details on what went on while they were in the nebula, but he got a briefing from Tracy, and he knew without anyone telling him that Paul didn’t willingly leave them behind. Michael had done what she saw best, and Hugh didn’t disagree with her.

Paul stares at Michael with an expression Hugh doesn’t think he’s seen before. It’s not explicitly angry or sad. But it’s raw. Paul’s look turns to Hugh as in asking for guidance. Hugh immediately lays his hand on Paul’s chest in a calming manner. There’s a lost look in Paul’s eyes. Hugh doesn’t say anything, just nods, _I know_.

They’ll talk about everything later. Now Hugh’s just concentrated on maintaining eye contact with Paul, while stroking his back reassuringly. Michael says something to Tracy, but soon throws one more apologetic smile towards Paul, turns around and leaves Medbay. 

“We’re okay. You’re okay,” Hugh whispers with a reassuring smile. Paul closes his eyes and nods. For a moment, they stand there in silence.

“In the holo…” Adira starts, looking up at Paul with a hopeful sparkle in their eyes. “We were in a holo, you know this, um.” Paul nods as an answer and a beaming smile appears on Adira’s face.

“It recognized Gray.”

Paul stares at them, processing the statement, then quickly glances at Hugh and back at Adira, who seems unsure how to explain it further.

“I saw him, Paul,” Hugh speaks softly. Adira smiles a tender smile, and Paul seems to be unable to speak at the moment. Paul’s brows furrow again as he turns to look at Adira and chuckles in disbelief. Adira nods rapidly as confirmation.

“Just… just Gray?” Paul finally asks. Hugh and Adira share a look and nod in unison. 

“Yeah. He… He was with us the whole time,” Hugh replies. Hugh can see from Paul’s face his brain is hard at work, processing the info, probably arriving at the same conclusions he had earlier.

“Are you okay?” He asks Adira, petting their hair gently. 

“Yeah,” they nod, although there’s still a hint of melancholy on their face. “We promised we’d try to help him.” They look at Hugh, who places his hand on their shoulder and nods with a smile.

Paul’s eyes travel between them again. His grip around the two people he loves most tightens. He smiles gently.

“Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh it was really hard writing this. In many ways. But this is what I came up with, and I have a problem with never finishing anything. So, I decided that this is now done, I'll publish it, no matter what. (And now I only have 3 Culmets fics unfinished.)


End file.
